Ahoghill are Champions League winners

Secretary Chris Moore as usual looked after the orders of fish and chips, plenty of minerals and the pavlova was special.

The Chairman reported a fairly successful season running for the first time with no prize-money and the experience of hosting the NIPA Marking Centre at short notice in the weeks before racing.

All the help from the local members and the other local clubs was greatly appreciated, and some great results were recorded as well especially in the Premier OB & YB Nationals in the NIPA.

Early birds were recorded on the second morning in the St Malo OB National and Mr & Mrs Sempey from Cullybackey came very close to winning the prestigious event but had to settle for 1st Sect B & 2nd Open NIPA. Hugh Boyd from Randalstown also had a very early arrival and was to top the Mid Antrim Combine. The result in the Talbenny YB Nat from South Wales was even better. The popular Bertie Blair from Ballymena & District had the big early arrival and topped the Mighty NIPA in a race where local lofts have done very well over recent seasons.

Ahoghill themselves were well to the fore. Calculated on Points Ave for the first time Young McManus & Sons who won 11 x 1sts were Top Prize-winners followed by Mr & Mrs Robinson who I think had a best ever season especially in the old birds with 8 x 1sts.

The club were to win the MAC Champions League for the first time. Their team included Parry McManus, Mr & Mrs Robinson, Jimmy Smyth and Chris Moore. Competition runs in a league basis over an inland programme with the cross channel events used for the Knock-Out. Mr & Mrs Robinson were to win all three cross channel events from Talbenny, Bude and in the final from Penzance were ahead of J Eagleson & Sons in Ballymena. Danny Dixon sponsored the event and Ahoghill won £200 with the runner-up prize on £100 going to Ballymena & District.

Mid Antrim had a Knock-Out competition for all members in the old bird racing, Dixon sponsorship of £50 was won by Mr & Mrs Robinson who beat Jimmy Rock in the final at Penzance. Jimmy Smyth & Son won the Dixon sponsored £100 for 1st MAC in the Friendship Nat from Lamballe and Tom Young timed his good hen which won 1st MAC in 2018 to finish 2nd MAC 2019 only two birds home and also won an INFC Merit Award. Willie Reynolds the MAC Secretary presented the awards at Ahoghill and a high standard has been set to take us forward to 2020.

Just for the record Champions League winners - 2008 Harryville (R H Clements), 2009 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2010 Ballymena & Dist (M Graham), 2011 Randalstown (S Millar), 2012 Cullybackey (Reid Bros & McCloy), 2013 Cullybackey (A Darragh), 2014 Rasharkin & Dist (Steele & McNeill), 2015 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2016 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2017 Rasharkin & Dist (D Dixon), 2018 Rasharkin & Dist (J & M Milliken). 2019 Ahoghill Flying Club (M/M Robinson).

Leading lofts in Ahoghill Flying Club were – Young McManus & Sons 222 Points are still the loft to beat, Mr & Mrs Robinson 155 Points, Jimmy Smyth & Son 91 Points, Bamber Tom Young & Son, Tosh & Gail Balmer, William Livingstone, Chris Moore and John Balmer.

Race winners in the old birds were as follows: 13/04 Mullingar Young McManus & Sons 1-7 vel 1594, 20/04 Tullamore Young McManus & Sons 1st & 2nd vel 1575 (2nd MAC & 3rd Sect B 112/3083), 28/04 Roscrea Paddy, M/M Robinson and J Smyth vel 1514 (2nd, 3rd and 4th MAC & Sect B plus 4th, 6th & 10th Open NIPA 702/18,761), 04/05 Gowran Park 1st & 2nd M/M Robinson, Paddy 3rd & 4th (MAC 1-4 and 2nd & 3rd Sect B 114/3032), 11/05 Fermoy M/M Robinson 1st, 2nd and 3rd three together vel 1282), 18/05 Corrin M/M Rob 1st & 2nd vel 1186 (8th & 10th MAC), 25/05 Fermoy M/M Robinson 1st & 2nd vel 1586 (8th MAC), 25/05 Barleycove Inl Nat Paddy 1-2 vel 1432 (3rd MAC), 02/06 Gowran Park Bamber Young & Son vel 2031, 07/06 Fermoy (3) M/M Robinson 1st & 2nd vel 1655 (7th MAC), 07/06 Fermoy 5 Bird M/M Robinson 1-3 vel 1655 (4th MAC), 09/06 Talbenny Mr & Mrs Robinson 1-3 vel 1517 (10th MAC), 15/06 Bude M/M Robinson 1st & 2nd vel 1469 1st & 2nd MAC and 1st & 2nd Sect B 85/864), 22/06 Penzance M/M Robinson 1st & 2nd vel 1528 (6th MAC), OB Classic M/M Robinson vel 1528 (6th MAC & 8th Sect B), 22/06 J Smyth & Son vel 1570 (4th MAC).

Young birds in 2019 started with 3 Area Liberations due to the poor weather at this time, the third week was actually flown on Friday and the 4th race the mass liberation was delayed until Sunday. 20/07 Mullingar J Smyth & Son 1-3 vel 1302 (10th MAC), 27/07 Tullamore Paddy 1st & 2nd vel 1407 (17th MAC), 02/08 Tullamore Paddy vel 1354, 11/08 Gowran Park Paddy vel 1224, 17/08 Fermoy (1) J Smyth & Son vel 1949, 25/08 Fermoy (2) Paddy vel 1421, 31/08 Roscrea Comeback Paddy 1st & 2nd bel 1460 (15th MAC), Talbenny Nat flown Monday 02/09 Paddy 1-4 vel 1356 (10th MAC), 07/09 Corrin J Smyth & Son 1st & 2nd vel 1130 (5th & 7th MAC), Skibbereen Nat 14/09 Paddy 1st & 2nd vel 1898 (5th MAC).

Racing with the Irish National FC the best result was in the Friendship Nat from Lamballe in France.

From the tough Lamballe Friendship National Jimmy Smyth & Son of Ahoghill have the best local bird and win 1st Mid Antrim Combine and 8th Open INFC. The partnership clocked their 3 year old chequer w/f hen at 10:21am on the second morning after flying 471 miles. This hen was gifted to them by Harry Richmond of Ballymena & Dist when he left the sport and was broke in and never looked back. Bloodlines are former yearling national winner Jack Rodgers & Son Ballymena & Dist and the late Bill McClure of Kells & Dist who timed many birds from France. Before being sent to the Friendship race the hen had Talbenny were she was placed in the open result and then Bude. She was sitting eggs 15 days.

Jimmy would like to thank Harry Richmond for giving him the birds to break in. The only other pigeon to be clocked in the MA Combine was again in the Ahoghill club this time to Bamber, Tom Young & Son who win 2nd Combine and 37th open INFC. They timed their 2 year old blue hen at 12:34pm on the third day again flying 471 miles. In the same race last season this top hen won 1st MA Combine and 37th Open INFC. This season her races included the Barley Cove National and Bude and she was sitting eggs four days before basketing. The Sire is Van Loon x Brakele bloodlines through Crowley & Green and the dam was bred by Tom’s son David, she is bred from Dennis Dall bloodlines via Ian Lain of Kirkintilloch.

Muckamore Station Lamballe – H Weir Ballyclare 722, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 626, Bamber T Young & Son Ahoghill 330. W & L McCaw Ballymoney 268, F Simpson Doagh & Dist 253. Mid Antrim Combine Lamballe – J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 626, Bamber T Young & Son Ahoghill 330.

Earlier in the Yearling Nat from Sennen Cove Mr & Mrs Robinson had two early arrivals to win 2nd & 5th in the MAC with their club winner recording velocity 1373. Moving to the young birds Young McManus & Sons had the big early arrival in the Grand Nat from Penzannce finishing 7th in the MAC recording velocity 1244. A great season for the Ahoghill FC members up at the top in most of the local competition, and a standard set now that will take some work to equal. Thanks for the invite.

RPRA (Irish Region) AGM - 01/02/2020

The Irish Region (RPRA) Annual General Meeting will take place in the Loughshore Hotel, Shore Road, Carrickfergus on Saturday 1st February at 1.00pm sharp. If any member wishes to be on the Irish Nat FC Committee please attend the RPRA (Irish Region) meeting to be nominated.

Meeting will start with the General & Appeals Committee meeting at 1.00pm

Agenda:

1. Minutes of last meeting

2. Matters arising 2019

3. Lifting of suspension of R Russell & Son, Lisburn & District

4. Appeals: L O’Neill v Larne & District

5. Any other business – discuss the closing date for RPRA Awards

Then the main Annual General Meeting will follow

Agenda:

1. Minutes of previous AGM (2019)

2. Statement of accounts for 2019

3. Any other business 2019

4. Election of officers for 2020

5. New Clubs

6. Any other business – discuss the closing date for the RPRA Awards.

Following the AGM a Region Delegates Meeting will be held.

The Secretary has asked for the names of all members that have resigned or had a Clearance Sale in your club during 2019. A complete report will follow the meeting.

Affiliation Fees for 2019 – Clubs, Single Members, Individual Members and each Partnership Member all £12.00. Must be paid through one Society Cheque and made payable to Royal Pigeon Racing Association – Irish Region. Societies in arrears at 1st March 2020 will be called upon to pay an extra 50p per Member and £10.00 for Club. Willie Reynolds PO.

Long Distance Racing

For those interested in the future of long distance racing into Northern Ireland especially racing from France, a meeting has been arranged for the Chimney Corner Football Club in Antrim for Monday 3rd February starting at 8.00pm. This will be an opportunity for local fanciers to discuss the future prospects to hopefully improve racing from the distance events, which has long been the goal of many lofts in the sport. Any decisions made will be relayed to the various organisations, with the current weather conditions it is asking a lot to have three races from France flown on successive weeks during what used to be the summer. Hoping to see a big turn-out, of long distance flyers – all welcome.